The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-09-28
New Railroads Which VIII Affect Sa-
yannah.

vannah.
The business men of Savannah should
awaken to the fact that the city's commerce
is threatened in some degree by several rail
roads now being built in Georgia. They
will invade the territory of lines now tribu-
! tary to this city, and if proper steps are not
taken TO prevent it may divert no inconsid-
cradle portion of their trade and travel to
/ other places,
The Americas, Preston and Lumpkin
railroad is now being extended TO Abbeville,
Wilcox county. There it reaches short
water route, via the Ocmulgee river, tO the
East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia
railroad, or by that river and
the Altamaha to the coast. 1t is in
contemplation to further extend the
road from Abbevile to Neville or Lumber
CITY. only few miles, to make direct com
munication with the East Tennessee, Viz
ginia and Georgia, and from Lumpkin to
Columbus. These extensions are certain
to be made eventually, and the
work may be done in very short time. The
effect would be another through line from
Atlanta to Brunswick, as the Georgia Mid
land would no doubt make satisfactory ar
rangenents with the new road 1t can be
easily seen that such line would be an i'm
portant one, certain to divert cotton and
other freights to routes not leading to Sa-
vannah
Another and still more important road,
the Georgia Southern and Florida, is being
pushed forward rapidly into territory the
trade of which is now looked upon
as belonging to Savannah. This
road is being built from Macon
to Valdosta Work is going on along the
entire line, 1000 men being employed, and
it is expected that the roadbed will be COM
pleted by Jan. / next. From Valdosta the
line will run via Lake City and Gainesville
to Palatka, and the route is now being laid
out.
The great rapidity with which railroads
can be built in these days is illustrated in
the experience of the Georgia Midland Ito
which reference has already been made
and the Atlanta and Hawkinsvile roads.
Those not especially interested hardly knew
that thgfirst named had any existence, ex-
cept on paper, when they saw the announce
ment that it was completed and had taken
away part of the business of an old estab-
lshed road.
These movements on the chessboard of
trade and travel can be met and checked
by the building of two roads already pro-
jected. The first of these, the Savannah
and Western, was intended to extend from
this city to some point on the East Tonnes
see, Virginia and Georgia. If the point
selected should be the same as that reached
by the Americas, Preston and Lumpkin,
there is no reason why that line should not
be made feeder to Savannah instead of
carrying off the city's trade to another port
1t might, besides this, give competing line
to Atlanta and North Georgia The build
ing of this road seems to have come to a
dead stop, after the line has been surveyed.
The status of the second of the projected
roads, the Savannah, Dublin and Western,
from this city to Macon, is difficult to get
at Work is going on, but from the course
of its friends in preventing the Legislature
from granting a charter to the Birmingham,
Macon and Savannah Railway, it is fair to
infer that there is not much prospect of its
being completed at an early day.
The question of more railroads may be
said to be vital one to the future pros
perity of Savannah, and it should be con-
sidered earnestly and with a determination
to find an early solution by the Cotton Ex-
change and Board of Trade, the commercial
bodies which represent the wealth and en-
terprise of the city They cannot act too
promptly.